Mutual, Language, Go
by Kamitra
Summary: A sandbox of different threads. First and only so far : An eyewitness account of the mysterious relationships that make up the New Wave pros. Title changed for differentiation.


Author's Note: It's an AU in that it assumes a few things that...well, nevermind. It's also just something I felt like trying. Like everything else I probably write, it is just a teaser. If any chapters get released after this, they will not be related. (I will never be that thorough.) I am also aware that I am bending the current ranking system for the pro world.

It's amazing that I remember this much of Hikago when I haven't touched it in years... inspired by the English release of vol.12, which I finally touched today.

**Go Fish: Fives.**

Foreward (an exerpt)

This story is not a story at all. This is, or was, in fact, my research project. However, this quickly went out of control and I found myself writing it as a commentary. Instead of submitting it as I had originally planned to do, my resulting paper looked very different from this. My sensei had discovered this commentary one day and suggested that I submit it to the publishers as a novel...

Chapter 1

Originally, Shindou Hikaru 5-dan wasn't even on my list of candidates for research. I wasn't after conspiracy theories, after all, and quite a few surrounded this particular player. However, as my sensei had pointed out, it was hard to research any of the other pros without mention of this particular player somehow. It seemed like he altered everything he touched... and even what he didn't. And conspiracy theorists loved to point out how he probably was involved with Sai somehow, which was just ridiculous.

Until I finally met him. He wasn't happy to be interviewed, but not in a mulish way. Instead, he seemed to act more like a child refusing to admit that he had done wrong mixed with the adult sense that he did. But beyond some ugly history with Touya Akira, I couldn't see what that could be. Of course, he had done lots of other things that were considered minor sins to the professional Go world, ranging from taking sabbatical without warning to throwing away his shinshodan series match, but none of them seemed to add up to his actual attitude from what I could gather.

I definitely wasn't interested in getting anyone else's opinion on Shindou 5-dan, however, since I could just look at what was written already on the matter. He was always a controversial matter, but no one seems to doubt his ability -- they just doubt his conduct and sensibilities.

Admittedly, when I met him, the first thing he seemed to do was mutter something in another language. When I asked him if he was taking Chinese or some other language, he laughed and said he was hopeless with foreign language. I thanked profusely him for the opportunity to interview him, and he said he only accepted because I wasn't actually asking him the same things everyone else had been.

His manner of speaking was awkward -- he said he had never gotten used to formal stuff -- but it was very open as well, which is very curious for someone with such a secretive past. However, past his openness, the answers to my interview questions barely helped at all.

"I don't really know too much about the others' playing styles. Like, I know they're improving and I see it all the time, but I think I've always been too focused on my own play and those above me. And Touya's."

Strange that he would mention Touya Akira 7-dan as if they had always been equals. Perhaps it was all bridge under the water to him, now that everyone agreed that they were almost equals in strength and acknowledged rivals. (His lower rank was mostly due to constant controversy, which didn't seem to perturb him so much as it did Touya 7-dan.)

He then suggested that I might better see Waya Yoshitaka 4-dan for more input on playing styles, to which I said that he was the first on my list and I would be seeing him after him. He laughed slightly after that, albeit nervously.

"If I may ask, then, what influenced your playing style?"

"I don't know if anything influenced it more than my sensei, who was an expert on Shuusaku. I studied Shuusaku as well to follow my sensei's footsteps. After that, it was probably just playing lots of games?"

"You've certainly gained much experience with the amount of people you've played against."

"Haha, yeah, but some I wish I never did."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, the Hon'inbou guy, Kuwabara scares the crap out of me every single time."

"I've heard he does that to everyone..."

"Yeah, but me in particular." He grimaced.

"Ah, the famous conspiracy theories?"

Now he outright winced. "Look, if it's all the same to you, could we avoid that? I get that all the time from Touya, like at least three times a year..."

That was very surprising. I would have thought that the formidable Touya 7-dan would have settled this between them, not to mention that chasing after Shindou 5-dan's shadow seems like a very strange thing to do. While a few of the more eccentric or driven players would be more than happy than to run this controversial pro in circles, it seems hard to imagine this out of Touya Akira. I will attempt to portray my perspective as to why this is so in the later part of this article.

It was, in fact Shindou 5-dan that managed to introduce me to Touya 7-dan, despite his extremely busy schedule. He said waved off my reservations, saying that it was "only fair" that I receive his perspective as well. While Touya Akira is seen by some as the first of the New Wave, my research was originally only supposed to encompass the characterization of said wave and not the speculative history behind it.

At the third meeting, he had, in fact, introduced me in person to the said pro. I was shocked to say the least. I explained to Touya 7-dan that he was not someone I had attempted to contact because there had already been numerous interviews on him and I felt that interviewing such highly publicized players such as they seemed unnecessary.

He merely nodded. "Then what brought this along?"

I quickly recounted the events that had me there that day to interview them. As with all tv interviews, he commanded a professional and powerful air, but I had the rare chance to see more sides than that, which somewhat explains the varying opinions about him, even though all agree about his Go.

"I see. Well, as you might know, I have studied a great deal many kifu as well as have had the opporutnity to study under my father's group. What you may have not have heard is that I was not very interested in taking the exam until Shindou 5-dan. His, and later Sai's appearance, has been my greatest influence to my playing now." While he smiled slightly, Shindou 5-dan seemed to be a hundred faces.

"Are there any characterizations that you could name in other lower dan pro's playing styles?"

"They seem to be more fluid. Awkward, sometimes, but not brittle. It helps a great deal to have both Shindou 5-dan and Yashiro 5-dan as role models."

"Are you dissing me?"

"Does it sound like I am?"

"That's why I'm asking!"

I did not know yet that I should break this up before it got out of hand, so instead I was witness to a very... particular sight. This went on until I managed to catch their attention somehow, at which Touya 7-dan composed himself as if there had never been an argument and Shindou 5-dan seemed to be sulking. Despite these arguments, it was Touya Akira that filled in much of the information that I seemed to be lacking about the other pros. Despite the impression I had received from both him and others, he had both a professional pride as well as a soft respect for his fellow pro players.

"I have heard a few of Waya 4-dan's discussions at both exhibitions as well as private settings, and I would say that he has the best understanding of each of the pro's playing styles. After him, I would suggest Kurata 7-dan, who also pays close attention to tbe newer pros. As for personal experience, I confess that I am not of much use."

"No, you've been very helpful," I replied earnestly and continued to my next question.

"Is a player's personality reflective of their playing style?"

"I think it is very much so." At this, Shindou Hikaru looked at him disbelievingly, which he did not seem to notice as he continued. "Naturally one does not see a person's entire personality in a single game as one does not see a person's entire personality in a single meeting, if you will pardon the analogy."

"No, I understand. But how would you categorize Isumi Shin'ichirou 5-dan, then?"

"I think his playing style shows his passion for the game. I do not think it shows how gregarious or reserved a person is, though, if that is what you are suggesting."

Interlude 1

Ogata Seiji stubbed out a cigarette as he put his book down and chuckled. It wasn't the most friendly sound, but that was to be expected. "I'm surprised he agreed to this at all, though."

Interlude 2

Waya put down Saeki's copy of the book and asked himself for the twenty-third time why he was even reading this. It was already frustrating and painful, and it foreboded to get even worse.

Interlude 3

Kuwabara Hon'inbou laughed.

Interlude 4

"TOUYA!! Did you even read this?!"

"Of course I did. I gave the permission for it to be published."

"YOU WHAT?!"

"I'm surprised you had even read it at all."

"Waya showed me some of it and... it's.. This is...!"

"The best and most accurate depiction you've ever received that doesn't make fanciful claims as to your connection to Sai?"

"Well... yeah..."

"I thought it might shut up some of the whispers."

Little did they know that it would do something worse and cause even _more_ whispers, but on a different topic altogether.


End file.
